Twitter Allows Users To Live Stream From More Than Just Their Phones

With a new API, Twitter, the U.S.-based micro-blogging site, is now expanding ways to live stream video on its live platform “Periscope.” The new API was announced just recently. Previously, the same kind of functionality was available as part of a limited program, which began last year in October.

Twitter names the four partners who have used the beta version of the API

The new Periscope Producer API will allow companies and developers to create ways for all Periscope or Twitter users to start live broadcasts from other cameras and applications. If you are a developer and you are interested, you can apply at this link. In this link, you will see a form that you will have to fill. The form will ask your name, company name, product name, product URL, email address, product description, and a description on how you plan to use the Periscope API. Lastly, the developer has to accept the Twitter developer agreement.

The micro-blogging site says, “Thank you for your interest in the Periscope API Private Beta – a way for developers to enable people to broadcast directly from external hardware, software, cameras and web services.” If the form is approved, the developer will get an email from the social network.

The micro-blogging site has named four partners who have used the beta version of the API already. However, so far there is only one consumer camera, which is Livestream Mevo. The other three partners are Switchboard Cloud, Teradek and Telestream’s Wirecast software. The three partners are actually more professional video creation and management solutions, notes The Verge.

Twitter trying to compete with Facebook with more live streaming

Last year, the Mevo was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show. It was the first non-smartphone camera to work with Facebook Live as well. The software of Mevo has turned the shot glass-sized camera into a quasi-mobile studio solution. As for lens, the camera has just one lens which allows users to set up many 1080p-sized crops on the full 4K image. While live streaming, the users can also switch between these crops.

The camera comes at the price of $399 and it looks like a worthy buy as it enables a multi-camera live-streaming setup on Periscope without the help of any professional equipment. The social network began enabling 360-degree live-streaming on Periscope in December. This was possible because of integration with the Insta360 Air camera. The new API will probably open this feature to other spherical cameras on the market, according to Twitter.

The social media giant ‘Facebook’ is getting a rise in popularity due to its Live platform and with its new API, Periscope will compete with the tech giant and try to supersede it.

Nishtha Singh is a iStartup staff reporter who covers tech news, including review of devices, emerging startups, acquisitions, gadgets, Cars, Cloud, EVs, AR, VR, AI and more. Further, she is a reader, a tech-enthusiast, and a writer. Editor at Teenage Publishing and proof-reader at Evoque Publishing.